Movable toy on rail



Dec. 18, 1956 5. LL BEDER 2,774,182

MOVABLE TOY ON RAIL Filed June 10, 1953 L big-ms very soft and resilient material.

United St te Patent f 2,774,182 MOVABLE TOY 0N RAIL Samuel L. Beder, New York, N. Y. ApplieafionJune 10, 1953, Serial No. 360,729

7 Claims. (31. 46-32) This invention relates to a toy for young children and is more particularly concerned With a toy of this nature which is adapted to be used in cooperation with the rail of a play pen or crib to provide the child with a permanently available plaything.

Many toys havebeen proposed which are suitable for use by young children in play pens and cribs but it is common experience that the child frequently throws the toy out of the play pen or crib and the toy must be repeatedly returned to the child by the parent. Not only is this often annoying to the parent but the surroundings may be damaged by the toy in flight unless it is of a Moreover, toys of the rolling type such as automobiles, trains and the like cannot generally be successfully played with by the child in the confines of the play pen or crib because of the small area available and because the bed clothes or the play pen pad do not provide. a suitable surface for using this type of toy. As a result, the child is limited in the type of toy which he can use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy for use by a young child in a crib or play penwhich cannot be hurled away by the child.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toy of the character indicated which simulates a toy of the rolling type and which may be eifectively and successfully used within the confines of the play pen or crib.

It is. a further object of the invention to provide a toy for small children which is constructed to engage with the play pen or crib and to resist efforts of the child to dislodge it, yet is easily movable by the child along the crib .or play pen rail to simulate the movements of a rolling toy.

I It is another object of the invention to provide a toy for the child at the standing age which will encourage and stimulate him to walk.

. It is a further object of the invention to provide a .toy of novel construction which supplies an important needin the toy field.

It is another object of the invention to provide a toy .of the type described which is economical to manufacture. v

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a Itoy adapted to herused in association with the rail of .a crib or play pen or the like which. comprises a body, a pair of laterally spaced-apart legs or flanges which'are, adapted to embrace the sides of the rail, and a lock device which holds the toy against removal from the 2,774,182 Patented Dec. 18, 1956 ice will stimulate and encourage. a child at the standing age to walk by reason of the fact that as the toy is pushed along the crib or play pen rail thechild will be naturally inclined to walkover to the new position of the toy to push it further along.

Other objects and features ofthe invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof and from the accompanying drawing, wherein, a a

Fig. l is a perspective view of a toy embodying features of the present invention, showing it in association with the rail of a conventional play pen or crib;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the toy shown in Fig. l; V i

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the toy asseen from the bottom; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, the reference numeral 10 designates generally the toy illustrated which, in the embodiment shown, is constructed'to simulate a railroad locomotive The locomotice 10 has a base 12 upon whichis secured, as by screws 13, a boiler block 14 and a cab block 15 to define the body of the toy. To increase the locomotive appearance of the toy, the boiler block 14 has secured the like. The body is advantageously painted in bright colors to attract and please the child, and bells orotlier noise-makers may be attached to the toy to interest" the child. In any case, the bottom of the base 12 is planar and smooth so that it will slide easily over the rail 20 ofthe crib or play pen, as shown in Fig; 1. Although only a portion of the rail is shown, it will be understood that the toy 10 is suitable for use with any conventional play pen, e. g. having three or four sides with a top rail, and with a conventional crib, e. g. having a foot board and a head board and two sides formed with top rails. The rails in both cases are positioned on uprights or balusters which are of lesser width than the rails so that the sides. of the rails overhang the uprights.

Depending from each side of base 12 and embracing the sides 22 of the rail 20 shown in Fig. 1 are parallel legs 24 and 25 which, in the embodiment illustrated, are in the form ofrsheets which are sufficiently wide to extend well below the bottom of the rail 20. The legs 24 and 2 5 are secured, as by screws 26, to the base 12 and serve as a support for attaching the wheels .28 of the locomotive. The wheels. 28 may be rotatable or nonrotatable since they are merely for purposes of appearance and do not support the toy. The legs 24 and 25 guide the .toy 10 laterally so. that it follows the rail 20 at all times and permit the toy to be moved backwards and forwards at will. For use ,on an arcuate rail, as in a circular play pen, the legs 24 and 25, instead of being planar as shown,;a re advantageously curved to conform to the curvature of the rail.

It is a further feature of the invention that the toy It will be obvious that the toy as thus described could be easily removed from the rail by the child. To prevent this and yet to permit the parent to remove the toy when desired, there is provided a spring locking element which is positioned to engage the bottom of the rail 20 and to resist upward movement of the top from the rail. Inthe embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the locking element is in the form of a bowed springstrip 30 which is formed from spring steel or other convenient material and which is fixedly secured at one end to the leg 25, as

by a screw or rivet indicated at 33,'and is provided with -terpreted as. illustrative only.

" -1, any. id as aslot 34 at its other end 'in'which a pin 35 is adapted to,

"engage. 'When the spring-strip -32 is inits normally bowed position, as in Figs. 1 and 2, the pin 35 engages the outer' end of slot .34, slot, however, permits 'the -spring to" be pressed flat against thelegfZ'S by the parent to permit removal of thetoyfrom thje rail. 'When,

11. released positio'nwith the 'leg2'4 pressed against the side 'o'f' the 1 frail. When the toy isiplac'ed on the rail, it is mounted ;with' the 'le'ge'arryi'ng the spring strip on the "outside to increase the difiiculty of access by the child.

To place the toyonlhe rail it is merely necessary to 20 by said downwardlwextendin'g portions, and being open press the center of the springvstrip and to slide thetwo legs over the rail; To remove the toy from the rail, the spring strip is again pressed fiat and held in this position until the toy has been pulled upwardly a sufi icient distance'that the spring strip is no 'lengerbelew the'bottom' 'of the rail, then'the'toy is pulled off the rail. While the toy may thus be applied to and removed from the rail by an adult, the locking device is sulficiently difficul't that 7 'it will efiectively resist the eflorts o'f a young child. As

a result, to the childjth'e toy will be permanently mounted on the crib or playpen rail, yet he will be able to move it freelyback and for thou the rail. The child will thus have a plaything which will give himjniany' hours of pleasure and which he willnotbeable to dislodge and throw'away from his enclosure. At the same time, the

Qannoyance to the parent of having to pickup toys re;

peat'edly thrown from {thercr favoided' i It will be in the embodiment illustrated inFigs. '1. to 3'without. de-' a; or play pen will e apparentthatfvarious changes maybe made part i ng'from the spirit andseope of the. invention. 'One modified form is shown by way, of example in Fig. 4

which illustrates a toy having the body and l g construc- V tionof the embodiment off F igs. 1 to 3 but having' a alternative form of, spring locking element.

'bodiment; the bowed spring lockingelement 45 i In thisiems fixedly secured atone end, as bya screw or rivet indicated, at '46, to'leg'2'5 and' has' secured to'it at its otherenda pin 47 V which carries a knob. 48-which liesexteriorly of leg 25. a V .The pin 47;,passes through a-.slotj. 50 inlleg 25. --By reason er theslot 50, thespring 45' can -be flattened uponmov mg the ilmob awayno .th ga empent z e. Upon -release of :thelkn ob $48 .the. spring. element .45 f snaps b'aek intoits bowedipo'sition underlying'the cribfrail} V itiw'ill be obvious that other chang es and modifications in may be made ,without departingfrom the appended claims and itiSfin tended,ltherefore, -that'..allgmatter containedin the .roregei'ag :descripti'on. drawing shall .beIine in combination wlth .pen, cribstlie like comprising i ination,..a'bo'dythanithe tifasaid lower.'surface between saidjlegs, 1' said legs beingpos'itipned, to overlieftlievsideslofi. the. rail r when T lowensurface isiin engagement: with tlie'lf rail and having portions. extending dewnwardly ftherefrom,

said legs '.defining. with said body portion 1 an} elongated channel} for reception of .said rail saidachannel,beingof .substantially.rectangular, c'ross-see'tion'with a top, efined -by said lower surfaced the body'portion sides defined -hy ts aid;downwardly extending,portions,sand being. pen g at. the.'-bottoi n, 1 and .;-retaining,means1 positioned in one of P "betweeiiasaidtlegs'i said legs said downwardly-extending V the under -'surface of said rail, said, retaining means being manually displaceable out of engagement with said rail l .7

' lower'surface and while engaging said under surface per- 5 mitting free sliding movement of said toy 'over said rail.

2. A toy for use in combination with the rail'of a play 7 pen, crib and the like comprising, in combination, a body 1 portion having a lower .surface for engagement with the top surface of -the .rail fortf ree. sliding movement there over, depending laterally "spaced-apart legs extending from said lower surface ,a distance substantially greater than the width of said lower surfacebetween said legs,

said legs being positioned toxoverlie the sides of the rail' when said lowersurface isfin,engagement with the rail and having portions extending rdownwardly therefrom, said legs defining with said body portion an elongated channel for reception of said rail, said channel being of substantially rectangular cross-section with a top defined by' said ;lower' surface, of the body portion, sides defined at the bottom, and spring retaining means positioned in one of said downwardly-extending portions of said legs for engagement with the under surface of said rail, 'saidf tion'having a lower surface for engagement with the tepjsurfacefof 'the'rail for free' sliding. movement thereover, 'dependinglaterally spaced-apart 'legsqextending' i frornfsaidlower surface a distance substantially greater: than jthe width of said lower surface between said legs,

fl saidjlegs' being positionedto overlie-the sides ofwthe rail.

,when'said 'loweri'sur'face is ,in;' engagement with thegrail and fh'avin'g portions; extending downwardly j therefrom, said; legs defining with said body portion anEelongated 'channelffofr reception' o f said rail, said channel'being 'of 40 substantially rectangular cross-section with atop defined, by said lower surfaceof ithesbody portion, sides defined by said*downwardlyfextending portions ,"and*being open atthe bottom; and spring retainingmeans positioned on v the inner s'urfaceof one "of said downwardlyrextending Y portions, of sa-idlegsf for engagement withtli'ejunder; sur-" face oftsaid'raihsaid spring retaining means being man.- i

' uallyj-displaceable out'of engagement with said railflower surface.- and whileengaging said under fsurface permitting free sliding movementof said toy over said rail.

Q4. IAtoy'for use in'combinati frbOdY portion having'a lowersurfac'efor engagement with aparflegs extendin'g from'said lower surfaee a distance P siubs'tantiall between sai geigement, with the rail and downwardly therefromiandf a spring Ts'tri lpositio'ried on the-inner surface (if one of "eitt ending. portions ofsaidlegs for ten .urideiisurface .offsaid trail, j said spring extending portion carrying .a; pin

wher'ebysaidisprin'g stripv is manna 1 engagement with said rail lower; surface) Q-pen, vcrib.andithe glik 'comprisin T portion having af lewer' surf fQtopsurfacecf the rail,';dep

legs. extending from. said lower ,s'u 7 stantially greaternthanthe width of said, lower surface 7 thesidsof theirai portions for engagementwith i I ment with said rail lower surface and whileen the rail of a play a pen, crib ancl'the'like comprising, in combination, a body on with the rail of'aplay =pen, cribtand the like comprising in, combination, a a

y greater, than the width of said lower Lsprface djlegs, said'legs bein'g positionedto ;overlie--' lthesides of therail when saidlower'surface isinjen having portions" extending a V p {retaining means aid-do w dly gagement with. the f tr p i 'fiRdly; Qs e'cu redat oneae'nd to said]downwardlyextending'portioni' and having a'sl'otfat 'itsjother end andjsaidfdownwardly iengagedlin'lsaidslot;

lly displa'ceableiout of I 1 r '15.. A toy for use in;combination witli;thefrailiofa play;

7 g',"in combination,aibodyg 7 face for engagement with the i ending laterally spaced-apartg rfacef a1 distanee'sub' beingpositioned tov overlie f l-whensaid lower surface is 'inflengage ment with the rail and having portions extending downwardly therefrom, and a spring strip retaining means positioned on the inner surface of one of said downwardly extending portions of said legs for engagement with the under surface of said rail, said spring strip being fixedly secured at one end to said downwardly-extending portion and carrying a pin at its other end and said downwardlyextending portion being formed with a slot in which said pin is received, whereby said spring strip is manually displaceable out of engagement with said rail lower surface.

6. In combination with the rail of a play pen crib and the like, a toy slidable over said rail, said toy comprising a body portion having a lower surface for engagement with the top surface of the rail for free sliding movement thereover, depending laterally spaced apart legs extending from said lower surface a distance substantially greater than the width of said lower surface between said legs, said legs being positioned to overlie the sides of the rail when said lower surface is in engagement with the rail and having portions extending downwardly therefrom, said legs defining with said body portion an elongated channel for reception of said rail, said channel being of substantially rectangular cross-section with a top defined by said lower surface of the body portion, sides defined by said downwardly-extending portion, and being open at the bottom, and retaining means positioned in one of said downwardly-extending portions for engagement with the under surface of said rail, said retaining means being manually displaceable out of engagement with said rail lower surface and while engaging said under surface permitting free sliding movement of said toy over said rail.

7. In a play pen, crib and the like having a side wall formed with a top rail and a plurality of uprights supporting said rail, a toy slidable over said rail, said toy comprising a body portion having a lower surface for engagement with the top surface of the rail for free sliding movement thereover, depending laterally spaced apart legs extending from said lower surface a distance substantially greater than the width of said lower surface between said legs, said legs being positioned to overlie the sides of the rail when said lower surface is in engagement with the rail and having portions extending downwardly therefrom, said legs defining with said body portion an elongated channel for reception of said rail, said channel being of substantially rectangular cross-section with a top defined by said lower surface of the body portion, sides defined by said downwardly-extending portions, and being open at the bottom, and retaining means positioned in one of said downwardly-extending portions for engagement with the under surface of said rail, said retaining means being manually displaceable out of engagement with said rail lower surface and while engaging said under surface permitting free sliding movement of said toy over said rail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,522,472 Sundell Jan. 6, 1925 2,031,195 Thompson Feb. 18, 1936 2,402,861 Winnick June 25, 1946 2,471,762 Merrett May 31, 1949 

